Little Moments
by Jade Pilot
Summary: Anakin never turned, Padme survived and raised Luke and Leia on Naboo. ROTS-AU. Padme, Luke, Leia implied Anakin .


Title: Little Moments  
Timeframe: Post ROTS—AU  
Characters: Padme, Luke and Leia

* * *

"Tell me about the time Papa won the pod race against mean old Subula at the arena in Mos Espa."

Padme Amidala dropped her stylus on the small area rug below her feet and looked up into the open face of her six year old son. "Luke! You scared the wits out of me!" She glanced at her wristchrono and leaned over to retrieve the fallen item next to the sofa. "I had no idea it was so late—how was school today? Did you get your test on early Naboo history back?"

"He was my age—wasn't he?"

"Who was?" Padme flicked her datapad off and began to collect the various flimsies she had produced that were now scattered across the sofa and end table.

"Papa! He was my age when he won the pod race in Mos Espa."

She paused taking in the wide blue eyes set above the perfectly bowed mouth. "Well… he was a few years older. And you've heard that story many times." Her eyebrow rose slightly. "I suspect by now that you could tell it better than I."

Luke flopped onto the sofa next to her, nestling his bright blond head against her shoulder.

Leaning over, she kissed the top of his head and brushed his ever present bangs from his eyes. Luke definitely liked to cuddle. He was always the first one to run to her with a hug or a kiss. She knew he'd out grow this soon, but for now, it was nice having these little moments with her son. "Luke, is something wron—"

"Tell me about the time Papa sliced the heads off those two kouhuns that were creeping up the bed toward your throat!"

Padme chuckled, encircling her young son in both arms. "Oh…It's going to be one of _those _days is it?"

"Woosh-woosh!" He saved your life!"

She nodded, savoring the sight of Luke's dimples and the cleft in his small chin. "Yes, he did."

"And he didn't even break a sweat!"

"I think perhaps that is your father's version you are recalling."

He smiled, his head bobbing, causing his bangs to fall once again into his eyes. "What about the time Papa flew the damaged Trade Federation cruiser and rescued Chancellor uh…Pa-Pa-Papatine."

"PAL-patine, dear."

Luke sprang up, lowering the timber of his voice. "He's no PAL of mine!" Her son fell back onto the sofa, dissolving into a fit of giggles.

She grimaced, trying not to roll her eyes. "I see you've inherited your father's sordid sense of humor."

"That's one of his best jokes, Momma."

"Indeed." She pulled him back to her, his cheek resting against her chest. "Are you missing your father, Luke? Is that what this is all about?"

He remained silent.

Padme enjoyed the steady rhythm of his breathing and the warmth of his little face against her shoulder.

"I miss him Momma."

"I know," she whispered, running her fingers through his soft mane. He still had a lot of his baby hair; fine and silky to the touch. It wouldn't be long before it changed—perhaps becoming thick and wavy like Anakin's. "Your father has a very important job and it takes him away from us for many months at a time."

She felt rather than heard Luke's large sigh and hugged him tighter to her, resting her cheek against his crown. "Because of his position in the Jedi Order, he must keep his family a secret."

Luke sniffled. "Yes, Momma… but I still miss him."

Swallowing against the lump in her throat, Padme lifted her head and whispered into her son's tiny ear. "Perhaps we could place a HoloNet call to him after supper. Would you like that?"

He pulled away, beaming up at her. "Yes!" Luke jumped up from the sofa and began bouncing around the sitting room. "We're going to call Pappa! We're going to call Papa!"

Padme smiled, her eyes dancing. "After homework."

"We're going to call Papa!"

"And after we've eaten—"

"Papa! Papa!"

"—a very good supper..."

"And I get to talk to him first, not Leia…" Luke froze and spun around, his hand clamped over his mouth.

Padme looked back towards the foyer and frowned. "Luke…where's Leia?"

Her son scurried up to her, blocking her view of the doorway. "Tell me about the time Papa discovered that Palpatine was a scheming, no-good-dirty-rotten sith."

"Luke…"

"And how he helped to expose him to the Senate..."

"Luke, where is—"

"…freeing the galaxy from his tyranny and—"

"LUKE! WHERE IS YOUR SISTER?"

Her first born child sighed and reached into his back pocket, retrieving a folded flimsy.

"What's this, young man?" Padme asked, her brow lifting.

Luke mumbled something unintelligible.

"I beg your pardon?"

He grimaced, jamming both hands into his pockets. "It's a note from Professor Danica."

"And if I read this note, will it perhaps inform me as to the whereabouts of your sister?"

"Yes, ma'am," he said softly.

Padme scanned the contents of the flimsy, already suspecting what it would reveal. "And so, _your_ job was to…?"

He shrugged. "Keep you occupied until after Leia arrived home from detention."

"Luke…" she sighed, shaking her head. Padme knew Leia was at the heart of this grand scheme, she always was, and Luke would do anything for his sister. Even throwing in with her ridiculous plans at times. "I think it would be best if you spent the rest of the afternoon contemplating the negative impact of lying to your mother, young man."

Luke nodded and turned towards the staircase. "I suppose we won't be calling Papa now, will we?"

Padme lowered her eyes, folding her arms across her chest. "Well…it _has _been a while since we've spoken with him."

Luke paused at the banister, his face angled toward her.

"And there really is no reason to punish _him,_ I mean, _he_ didn't lie about his sister getting detention." Padme took in Luke's wide eyes and slightly parted lips.

"You mean?"

"I suppose we could still call him tonight."

"YIPPEEEE!" Luke flung himself across the room and into Padme's arms."

"But only after homework and supper."

"Papa!"

"And your word that you will never lie to me again."

"I promise, Momma!"

She chuckled, hugging him back and realizing that this was a promise he would break a hundred times over at the request of his sister. "Then off you go."

Luke raced up the stairs chanting as he went.

"Scamp," she muttered under her breath. Padme glanced at the chrono on the far wall and smoothed out the wrinkles in her gown. She rose with a grace that came as natural to her as the love she had for her two children and crossed the short distance to the foyer. Standing erect, she laced her hands behind her back and waited.

Six standard minutes later, the door opened and Leia trudged through the entrance her brows knitted together. She paused, her cheeks flushing as she looked up into Padme's face and groaned. "He squealed."

"Upstairs, young lady..."

Leia's chin dropped to her chest, as she shuffled towards her room. "He's just too guileless."

"…now."

"He'd never make it in politics."

"No HoloNet for a week."

"…and he can forget about the Jedi Order all together."

"You can tell it to your father, tonight, when we call him."

Leia froze halfway up the stairs. "You're calling Papa?"

"Ah-huh." Padme fought back the grin that threatened to take over as she watched her daughter's lips purse, a feature so like her own she'd been told.

Shaking her head, Leia continued up the stairs. "Luke is so dead."

Padme closed her eyes and took a deep cleansing breath. Would the galaxy ever be ready for the likes of these two? She waited until she heard her daughter's door slam before she burst out laughing.

end


End file.
